Louisiana Astros Fans: No More Minute Maid Park After January 1

For decades Louisiana baseball fans have made the short drive down I-10 through Lake Charles, Sulphur, Vinton and eventually into the land of never ending road construction which is an accurate description of the roadway between the Texas line at Orange and just west of Beaumont. I have never not seen that part of I-10 without an orange cone, and I doubt I ever will.

Of course, the reason baseball fans are making the trek westward is to visit the closest Major League Baseball park to southwestern Louisiana. True fans of the MLB scene in Houston might recall the ballpark was originally called Enron Field. But there was apparently some hanky-panky book cooking, allegedly, that caused that name to fall through.

In 2003 the place where the Astros play was renamed Minute Maid Park. Minute Maid, a subsidiary of the Coca-Cola company took over the naming rights after the Astros paid Enron to get out of the contract. Apparently, the Astros who have had their own integrity questioned, didn't want to deal with another company whose integrity was under strict scrutiny at the time.

In 2005 the facility hosted the very first World Series game to ever be played in Texas. The stadium has hosted several other World Series matchups in recent years. It has also hosted several big-name musical acts including Houston's own Beyonce', Taylor Swift, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Why Is Minute Maid Park Going Away?

The reason is quite simple. It's money. It was recently announced that Minute Maid would no longer hold the naming rights to the stadium as of January 1, 2025. So, Astro fans are you ready to start making your way to Daikin Park?

What's the New Name of the Houston Astros Stadium?

Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc. is the world's largest air-conditioning company. Their North American Headquarters are in Waller, Texas which is just to the north and west of downtown Houston. Daikin will maintain the naming rights for the next 15 years.

We should note that Minute Maid will not be disappearing from Astros baseball. The company plans to remain a marketing partner with the team through 2029. The Astros are slated to open the 2025 season versus the New York Mets on March 27th.

And if you're wondering how to pronounce the name of your new baseball stadium you say it like this. Die Ken. Just think about a very upset Barbie and you'll fit right in with the rest of us who will probably take a year or two to stop calling the place Minute Maid.